Complicated
by Alie-Kelsie
Summary: Fred and Hermione fall for each other, and begin to realize, just how complicated love really is.
1. In the Beginning

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

"Hermione?"

RIP!

She whirled round wildly, and saw Fred Weasley staring at her, his mouth slightly agape. _Shit!_ She mentally cursed herself and she straightened up.

"Fred!"

He looked at her, his eyes boring into hers as he moved closer.

"What are you doing up so late, miss?"

"I could ask you the same thing, sir!"

"I asked first, so you answer me first."

She scowled and turned away from him.

"If you really must know, I forgot about some homework that is due tomorrow and I came down here to do it. Potions essay, you know how Snape gets."

"Miss Hermione Granger! I am astonished! Forgetting your homework? What is the world coming to!?"

"Fine then! What are _you_ doing up so early then?"

"I got thirsty," he said simply. "Am I not allowed to go and get a glass of water?"

_Ugh…_ She rolled her eyes and turned back to her work. She dipped her quill into the inkpot next to her paper and began to rewrite her essay again on another piece of paper. It was silent for a while until…

"…Hermione?"

"Damn it, Fred!" She clutched a hand to her chest with she surveyed her essay in dismay. She picked up the piece of parchment and attempted to clean up the mess. She pointed her wand at the piece, now soaking in ink, and said, "Reparo!"

Nothing happened. She tried again. "Reparo!"

_SHIT!_

She rounded on Fred who was standing behind her with a slight smile upon his face. But when he saw her expression, his eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, sorry 'Mione! I swear, I didn't mean for that to happen! Really, please…" He trailed off, his hands held up.

He backed away as Hermione edged closer, her eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to write this?"

When he shook his head, she continued. "Three hours, Fred, three bloody long hours! And now it's all gone to waste! Ugh, you giant prat, you insufferable jerk, you absolute git…" Hermione trailed off, trying to think of more insults.

She moved ever closer to him until Fred was pressed up against the wall. His hands fell to his sides and he surveyed her with a mixed expression. He really couldn't believe that this was happening. The tables had finally turned on him!

Hermione put a hand on his chest and glared up at him. "So how are you going to make this up to me, Fred? Will you write it all out for me again?" As an afterthought, she added mostly to herself, "That's probably not very wise, you'll probably just screw it up more…"

Fred's eyes widened indignantly and he opened his mouth to say something back she covered his mouth with her hand. "Shush! You are not to speak at all! Now, when I move my hand, will you promise not to say anything?" His eyes still wide, he nodded.

"Good."

Hermione moved her hand away from his mouth and walked back to her table and sat down again, and sighed. Then she got out another piece of parchment and began writing again.

"…Hermione?" His voice was cautious, hesitant. It sent flutters through her stomach.

"Yes, Fred?"

He walked around the chair and went to sit next to her. He gazed her, his eyes filled with something she couldn't quite make out.

"I really am sorry…" Her features softened slightly as she took in his remorse.

"S'-okay." Fred watched her write, her soft chestnut coloured hair curling gracefully around her face and neck, the arm of her robes falling off her right shoulder, exposing a purple strap. He saw her full pink lips pucker up slightly and her forehead crease as she thought of what to write. He gazed as she ran a hand through her hair, making the arm of her black robes fall down, off her shoulder, to her elbow. Without thinking, he reached over and pulled it back up.

She turned to stare at him, her eyes shocked, and he withdrew his hand quickly.

"Sorry…"

Hermione smiled and returned to her work, yawning. They went back to their respective positions and Fred proceeded to watch her work again. Soon, the only sound to be heard was the scratching of Hermione's quill and the soft pitter-patter of rain, outside. After a little bit, Hermione stretched, her back arched and her hair falling off her shoulders and slipping down her back. She started to gather up her things and slipped them into a black bag beside the table, embroidered in silver, with the initials _H.G._

She turned around and jumped at the sight of Fred sitting behind her somewhat.

"Goodness, Fred! You're still here?"

He nodded and grinned, his hair flopping over his eyes. Her heart gave a jump as she stared up into his shining blue orbs. As they regarded her in silence, she blushed and looked down, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Blimey! You still have that old thing?" Fred exclaimed, gesturing at her bag.

She smiled and nodded, "I love it. Just because you don't like some of the things that your mother makes you, doesn't mean that I don't!" Hermione caressed the bag lovingly, saying, "it was very nice of her to make it for me."

"Hermione, the only reason why I am opposed to my mothers creations is because they are usually something with ruffles and sometimes …_pink!_" He shuddered. "And as you know, pink _so_ doesn't go with my hair colour!"

She giggled, her chocolate coloured eyes, staring up at him through her long lashes. His breath caught in his throat and he cleared it loudly, clapping his hands together.

"Well, this has been a pleasure, my dear. I hope we can do this again sometime!"

He bowed low and then, without warning, grabbed her hand and pressed his lips to it, softly. She gazed up at her, his eyes filled with some emotion she could not quite make out.

Hermione blushed prettily and slowly withdrew her hand from his grasp.

"You have been most gracious, kind sir, for accompanying me tonight."

"May I escort you to your dormitory, my lady?" He enquired, grinning broadly.

She smiled and slipped her hand through his proffered arm. They walked up the stairs arm in arm, before they reached the intersection separating the girls and boys dormitories.

"Well, thank you, Frederick." She said, using his full name, curtseying elegantly.

He bowed back and smirked up at her. "Shall I see you tomorrow at breakfast?"

She giggled again and nodded in her assent, turning and beginning to walk back towards the door to her dormitory. He watched her walk for a couple of steps, hypnotised by her long swishing hair and elegant limbs.

"Hermione?" For the fourth time of the night, she turned around to face him. "Yes Fred? She asked softly. They gazed at each other for a moment before he replied. "Goodnight."


	2. Realisation

CHAPTER TWO

Disclaimer: I don't own _anything._ As much as I wish I did, I don't…

A/N: This is kind of an in-between chapter. I hope you like it!

CHAPTER TWO

Hermione sat ramrod straight up in bed and looked over at her nightstand. She cursed herself inwardly, she had slept in! Hermione hurriedly pulled on her white school blouse and black skirt, slipping on some tights and her Mary Janes. She grabbed her robes from the top of her trunk and quickly ran a brush through her hair. She grabbed a random tube of lip-gloss and proceeded to dab some onto her lips. Then she ran from the room, her robes flying out behind her and dashed down the stairs. She sprinted into the Great Hall, where she found Harry and Ron enjoying the last of their breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast. She gazed in dismay at the almost empty plates upon the long tables.

Hermione sighed and plonked herself down next to her friends.

"Hi Hurmuyone!" Ron exclaimed through his food. She glanced over at him in disgust, her nose scrunched up into delicate wrinkles. "Honestly Ron! Don't you _ever_ stop eating?"

Harry observed the two and grinned. "Where've you been Hermione? We thought you'd died up there!"

She groaned and told them how she had slept in. Both of her friends smirked, causing her to indignantly exclaim that now she had no breakfast either and that if she fell over in a dead faint because she was so hungry, she certainly wouldn't be putting the two in her will because all they had done was smirk at her predicament!

"What's this I hear? No food?"

A loud voice interrupted them, and Fred appeared at Hermione's other side. She glared at him and nodded. "I slept in and now all the foods gone! This is all your fault you know! Last night, if you hadn't…" She trailed off, blushing furiously as she thought about what she said. Harry raised his eyebrows at Fred and Ron choked on his mouthful.

"Anyway," she went on hurriedly, "if you're just here to make fun of me Fred, _go away_" she said, putting emphasis on her last two words, looking anywhere but at Fred's face.

He grinned and shoved his plate of food between them. "How about we share?" he said, conjuring up another knife and fork. She looked up at him and said with as much dignity as she could muster, "Thank you, Fred… That's very nice of you." She looked pointedly at the other two.

He grinned and stabbed a piece of bacon with his fork at the same time as she did. Their forks collided and they both looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter. Ron and Harry looked at each other, in bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Fred and Hermione carried on sharing their breakfast, talking animatedly, with the frequent clash of fork on fork. It was only when everyone around them started to get up that they realised that breakfast was over. They looked at each other, their cheeks hurting from smiling so much. Hermione got up first, grabbing her books and going to stand next to Fred. He swung himself over the bench and smirked at Hermione.

"Couldn't resist my charms could you? Just had to share breakfast with me didn't you? I mean, after last night," he said loudly, "who wouldn't?" Hermione stared at him in shock, her mouth hanging open. Then she recovered and her eyes narrowed into slits as her lips pursed into a thin, angry line. He reeled back from her sudden change in emotion and put his hands up again, as he had last night.

"It was just a joke, 'Mione!" he exclaimed anxiously as people around them smirked, and her face lit up with fury. He started to back away before she swung around and stalked off in the opposite direction.

"Hermione!"

She ignored him, walking faster.

"Hermione! Wait up!"

She heard his footsteps behind her and she knew it was no use to try to outrun him. He would beat her by a mile.

He jogged up beside her and matched his pace with hers, shortening his stride, so that he didn't get ahead of her. He gazed down at Hermione, as she looked determinedly ahead, her robes flapping behind her.

"'Mione, c'mon, it was just a joke!"

"Hrmph!" She made an angry sound, well, more like a grunt and stopped in her tracks. They were now way past the entrance to the Great Hall and were standing in a deserted corridor.

She made to walk past him, but he grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back to him. Unfortunately, he used a bit too much force and she whacked into his chest, with Fred pulling her to him. She looked up at him from his chest with wide eyes.

Hermione felt his tough, muscular chest beneath her, impeccably toned, his strong arms encircling her. She gazed up at his face, his hair obscuring his eyes. She stepped shakily from his grasp and directed her gaze downwards, at her shoes.

"I'll see you around, Fred…" she mumbled and walked away, her face matching the maroon walls surrounding her. He watched her go, his eyes glazed with a look of confusion. _Crap._ He thought to himself. As he watched her go, he realised that he was falling for Hermione Granger.

And as she walked away, Hermione Granger's skin burnt from his touch, her hair falling in ringlets around her face, obscuring it from sight. _Crap._ She thought, _I'm falling for Fred Weasley._

A/N: Hey guys, I hope you liked it. Sorry, this chapter wasn't that eventful; I'll try to write some longer ones. I don't know whether I should continue it, so please R&R. It means heaps to me, getting your opinions. ;)

Alie


	3. Daydreaming

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, yeah, I own nothing all right? Do you _have_ to rub it in??

**A/N: **Hey everyone, sorry, this is another kind of in-between chapter. I'm _really sorry_ that it's so short! I'll try and make my next chapters longer! But I felt that it was kind of needed.

CHAPTER THREE

Hermione gazed straight ahead, at Professor McGonogall, though her thoughts were far away. In fact, they were centred on one certain redheaded male. After a while, in her peripheral vision she saw a mass of black fabric approach her.

"Miss Granger?" Professor McGonogall's voice was icy and her lips were fixed in a thin line. "Would you care to answer the question?"

Hermione looked up at her teacher, blushing madly, trying to guess what the question may have been. She stared at the chalkboard, with the letters O.W.L imprinted on it. She gulped, and looked down, feeling her classmates' eyes upon her in disbelief.

"I don't know what the answer is, Professor."

"I thought so Miss Granger. I would appreciate it if you would pay more attention in my classes from now on!" And with that, the stern teacher swept back up to her desk. From then on, Hermione sat up, alert, trying to keep her thoughts from roaming. _Damn it. _

Before she dismissed them from class, McGonogall proceeded to remind them that they should start looking for dates for the annual Christmas Ball. "We will have some very distinguished guests arriving, so I suggest that you try to make a good impression. You may go." The professor smiled slightly as she turned her back on the student's, the sound of their scraping chairs and desks ringing in her ears.

As she walked from the classroom, Harry caught up with her. "Hermione, what's going on? You've been acting funny all afternoon. First you completely forget the speech that you've been rehearsing for _weeks_ in Charms, you stuff up your potion in Snape's class and _then _you don't answer McGonogall when she asks you a question! It's so unlike you, and as of now, would you care to tell me what the hell, is going on with you?" He paused to take a deep breath after his long monologue.

Hermione looked at him in amusement. There was _no way_ she was going to tell Harry what was really bothering her. "I'm fine Harry, really. I just didn't get much sleep last night." She sighed at his raised eyebrows, "I'm fine! Really…"

Harry felt slightly frustrated and exasperated at the same time. He really hoped it wouldn't have come to this.

"Might you be distracted by thoughts of a certain redheaded male in our midst?" he enquired, smirking at her shocked face. She stuttered, her eyes wide with amazement. "Wha- how… that's tota… ugh! He laughed and replied, "It's kind of obvious Hermione," and walked away.

She stood there fuming. When did her personal thoughts suddenly become _everyone's _business?

**A/N:** Hi, I hope you all liked it! As I said before, it is a kind of in-between chapter, but it is necessary because it shows how Hermione is kind of letting herself go a bit, but not in a bad way. Now that she's got this thing with Fred, she's not just restricting herself to her studies anymore; she's more… _free_ (for the use of a better term). Also, I will try and make my next chapter longer. Anyhow, I hope you liked it and please, _please,_ _**please**_ review and rate! ;)

Alie


	4. Dance With Me?

**Disclaimer:** Whatever. You know how it goes. I own nothing.

**A/N: **Hey everyone, this chapter is quite a bit longer, so I hope you like it! It's a little more eventful than the last one!

CHAPTER FOUR

Fred Weasley sauntered into Great Hall, where the four long tables had been pushed to the sides of the hall, leaving a wide space where they had been. It was less than a week till the Christmas Ball, and Dumbledore had insisted that they take dancing lessons with Professor McGonogall and Professor Flitwik. As he walked in, Fred glimpsed Hermione, sitting on the edge of one of the tables, chatting with Ginny, a grin evident upon her face. He walked over to them, leaning against the antique wood, next to Hermione.

"Hey Fred." Ginny said, looking up at him. "What did you come from?"

"Ugh, Potions. It sucked even more today because, if it's possible, Snape was in an even worse mood today than before. He kept on whacking George and I on the back of our heads with that book of his and when a kid's cauldron overflowed, he gave them detention. Poor kid hasn't recovered yet, I don't think. From seeing his face I mean… I AM SEVERUS SNAPE!" Fred leered in his best imitation of the horrible professor.

Ginny laughed, pointing as Ron and Harry entered the hall. "Look, here they come!" She jumped off her perch on the table and ran to engulf Harry in a bear hug. He smiled and patted her hair softly and bent down to kiss her, capturing her lips with his and cupping her face in his hands. Ginny slipped her arms around his neck and he lifted her off the ground, his hands tangling in her hair as they kissed. Harry set her down on her feet again and Ginny took his hand in hers and reached up to kiss him slowly, once more.

Hermione looked on, her eyes dreamy as she watched them. How she longed to have that… Fred didn't fail to miss her watching the two, how he wished he could give her that.

"You all right 'Mione?" Fred's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, making her blush for the trillionth time today.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Fred." She looked down, fully aware of how close he was to her.

"Look, I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry about this morning. I didn't mean to upset you."

"'S okay" she mumbled, staring intently at a spot on her shoe. She heard him sigh and felt his rough, calloused fingers grasp her chin and pull it gently up so that she was looking him in the eyes.

"Sorry. Really." He held her gaze, his eyes fiery, blue orbs. She smiled slightly and broke their gaze, staring out across the floor, where partners were assembling. Fred followed her gaze, and he grinned.

"Say, Granger…" He said slyly, hopping off the table and holding up a hand to help her down. She grasped his proffered fingers and leaped lithely off the wood.

"Want to be my dancing partner?" He asked, amused as he watched her blush creep up her neck. She stared at him for a moment, like he was crazy, then her lips broke into a grin as she nodded vigorously. "Sure, Weasley."

They walked onto the floor and stood opposite each other, in line with everyone else.

"Boys, the idea here, is to grip your lady's waist and hold her hand up, like so." Professor Flitwik instructed, demonstrating with Professor McGonogall who had to bend down even though he was standing on several chairs already. The students sniggered as they watched their teachers awkwardly show them the steps.

Hermione looked across at Fred, who grinned lazily and walked over to grip her waist in one hand, while holding her right in a secure hold.

When everyone had accomplished this, the two professors attempted to waltz on the spot. After a few minutes of this, McGonogall sighed and dropped her hands. "Will one the _taller_ boys here, please come and be my partner for this demonstration?" When no one offered, she grimaced and proceeded to grab a tall, gangly boy with short brown hair and pull him to her. She grabbed his hands and placed one on her waist and the other she gripped tightly in the air. "Oh, _get over it!_" she exclaimed, over the loud catcalls and wolf whistles that erupted throughout the hall.

After the noise had died down, the class went on, with McGonogall showing them the steps and Flitwik chanting, 1…2…3…1…2…3… to keep them in time.

Hermione looked up at Fred as he stared down, grinning as he winked at her, his hair falling over his face. She blushed, as music started up from nowhere, and Fred started to sway his hips to the music, pulling her along with him. Both grinning madly, their lips clamped firmly shut for fear of laughing, they danced. Then, McGonogall announced that it was time for _freestyle._ She smiled slightly, at their shocked faces and explained that it just meant that they had to dance on their own, without instructions. Several boys looked shocked, but Fred just smirked and led Hermione to the middle of the dance floor. Seeing that they were the first to start dancing, he tipped Hermione into a graceful dip and spun her on the spot. They started to lithely dance around the hall, their movements graceful, even with Fred's added height. Hermione was shocked at first, her eyes wide as he led her around the hall, but after a minute she let go, ignoring their surprised spectators and laughing as he twirled her once more, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Having fun, Granger?" She giggled and whispered back boldly, "Only with you." Fred's heart filled with joy and he lifted her into a lift, watching her mouth gasp as she went flying through the air.

Flitwik clapped in delight as the rest of the students watched in awe as Fred and Hermione skipped around the hall, keeping in time with the music. There were a few gasps from the girls as Fred lifted Hermione into a lift.

Hermione was in bliss. She let Fred lead the way as they twirled around the hall, completely oblivious to their peers staring at them. When he held her above him in another lift, she threw her head back and laughed softly as she saw him smirking at her. She smiled as they continued to glide around the room. When the music finally stopped and Fred drew them to a halt, she sighed and closed her eyes. She wanted this moment to last forever, with her in his arms.

Fred looked down at Hermione, her lips turned up in a grin as she giggled like a little schoolgirl. He smiled and held her for a moment, until a loud chorus of cheers and whoops broke them apart.

They turned to see their fellow students cheering and pumping their fists and the two professors looking slightly shocked and amused. Flitwik in particular, beamed and clapped with gusto.

The pair blushed and looked down at their shoes, embarrassed by all the attention. Then, they both gazed up at each other and burst out laughing. Fred touched her arm lightly, and Hermione's skin tingled when he let her go. They smiled and walked back together to their friends who congratulated them and slapped their backs. Harry stood to the side, with Ginny, smiling, as he thought to himself. _A bushy-haired bookworm and a fiery haired prankster, eh? _He chuckled and thought, _Well, the best things do come as surprises. _

Hermione and Fred shared a secret smile as they walked to the tables to sit down, both slightly out of breath from their recent exertion.

"Wow Fred! I didn't know you could dance!" Hermione slapped his arm.

"Neither did I…" he muttered.

"What was that?"

"I'm secretly a professional dancer, did you know? I compete all the time. Since I was about three in fact." He grinned, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement.

She slapped his arm again, smiling, her brown eyes alight. "But seriously Fred, you were _really_ good! I couldn't dance like that at all!" Hermione gushed, still holding his arm.

Fred looked down at her hand gripping his arm and smirked. "Hey, are you going with anyone to the ball on Friday?" he asked, laughing internally as he saw a look of shock cross Hermione's face. "Oh… yeah, I am…" she said, trailing off.

Fred suddenly felt queasy, like he was going to throw up. "Oh, who's the lucky guy?" he asked, trying not to let his disappointment show on his face.

"Ernie McMillan…" she said quietly, "he asked me a while ago and I just didn't have the heart to say no…"

"Does he know that you don't fancy him?" Fred asked, looking over at Ernie who was dancing with Parvati across the hall. Parvati looked extremely uncomfortable and winced when Ernie trod on her foot. "Well, have fun with that," Fred said, nodding over at the couple.

"Ugh…" Hermione sighed heavily. Then she grabbed Fred's hands and pulled him off the table with her. "C'mon, let's go dance again!" She grinned cheekily and Fred allowed her to pull him over to the dance floor. He proceeded to twirl her around again, but this time, his heart was heavy.

**A/N: **So, did you like it? I hope so; it's my 2nd update in one night! I'm so proud of myself!! I hope you all like it, and please don't forget to review and rate! I was on a roll tonight and your comments really help me, telling me whether I should just give this whole thing up for dead or keep going with it. Thanks, ;)

Alie


	5. Run Away Part I

**Disclaimer:** Do we really need to go through this?

**A/N:** Hey everyone, I'm sorry I took so long to update this one! Please forgive me! I also wanted to say that I think I might just leave this story. I don't think many people really like it, because I haven't been getting that much response to it, (through reviews and such). And I know you're all out there and you _have_ been reading my stories, but I really need you guys to let me know if I should keep on going, because right now I don't feel like I should. So, tell me what you think of this chapter and please review if you want me to keep going, I would really appreciate it. Otherwise, I think I might just leave this story for dead. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, for those of you who do like it!

Also, thank you so, so, so, much to:

Rob-girl – reader101 – TheEntertainer26 – HarryPotter-Gurl – You guys are just the best! My first and fantastic reviewers, ;)

CHAPTER FIVE (PART I)

Fred stood with the other boys, all lined up, waiting for their partners in the Great Hall. It was custom in Hogwarts that the boys waited for the girls in the Great Hall, so that they could make their grand entrance. _After all,_ Fred thought, _it is the Christmas Ball. It's supposed to be extravagant and totally ridiculous._ He chuckled slightly at this. Then he caught a glimpse of their headmaster and nearly gagged. Dumbledore had adorned himself with a couple of tinsel necklaces in gold and red and was wearing robes which were green, gold and red festooned with embroidered presents, that changed colours every few seconds. And to top it all off, he even had a hat, which was bright red with a tinsel bobble on the top and the same colour-changing presents on it. Fred looked down at his own robes, worrying about his plain black robes and his white shirt. He hoped it was all right, but remembered that most of the other boys here were dressed like he was. He didn't have _anything_ to worry about. _He_ didn't look like Dumbledore! Then a fanfare of trumpets sounded and the doors to the Great Hall opened and the girls descended the stairs…

Hermione had spent most of her day getting ready for the ball with Lavender, Ginny and Parvati, and, even if she did say so herself, Hermione thought that the outcome was rather good. For once in her life she looked and felt _pretty._ She was wearing a strapless, sky blue coloured dress, with an empire waistline, that flowed down her body like a waterfall and she wore a pair of delicate, light blue ballet flats made of silk, on her feet, covered slightly by the end of her gown. Her hair was swept up on the back of her head in an elegant twist, a couple of wispy strands floated around her face and neck. She wore a subtle necklace, a silver and blue pendant hooked through a silver chain and a pair of twirling, blue earrings hung from her earlobes. Her make-up was natural, with a light blush upon her cheeks and pale blue eye shadow adorning her eyelids. Her lips were coated with a fine layer of light pink lipstick and gloss and her eyes were rimmed with eyeliner. She stood at the very back of the line of girls. They were meant to go down the stairs in pairs, but there was an uneven amount of girls, because Padma Patil had caught dragon pox the day before, so Hermione had to walk down on her own.

The huge doors leading into the Great Hall swung open and the first girls came down the stairs, their heels clacking on the marble stairs sharply. The boys looked up and they went to take the hands of their respective partners as they descended the stairs. Fred stared up and watched girl after girl walk down, holding their gowns up so as not to trip. His partner, Angelina Johnson glided down the stairs, dressed in a pretty frock made from pale pink silk, which showed off the honey coloured tints in her hair, nicely. Her dark brown hair flowed down her back and her face lit up as she saw Fred, his arm extended towards her.

"Hi, Fred," she said, taking his arm and coming to a stop beside him. He smiled and bent down to kiss her on the cheek, making her blush. They both turned to watch the remainder of the girls walk down the stairs, admiring the different coloured dresses and intricate hairstyles. For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the hushed whisperings of couples around them and the ever-present sound of heels clicking upon the floor. Then, the sound stopped and Fred looked up, surprised at the silence and his breath caught in his throat.

Hermione floated down the stairs, her little slippers on her feet making no sound as they hit the ground. She looked positively radiant as she glided down the stairs, a small smile alighting her face. The light glinted off her pendant and sparkled off her eyes, and Fred found he couldn't breathe. She was absolutely breathtaking, her gown swishing at the ends of her feet, a delicate hand taking the edge of her periwinkle blue gown in her slim fingers. He noticed a ring, glinting off her middle finger and felt a pang of jealousy go through him. _Who could have given her that?_ Fred looked around and saw that most of the other boys around him were gaping; their mouths wide open in astonishment as they surveyed the know-it-all bookworm who had transformed over-night into this astonishingly beautiful creature. Many of the girls, including Angelina, had gathered into groups, whispering animatedly among themselves, their gowns looking rather dull now in comparison to Hermione's dress. He caught snippets of their conversations, straining his ears, but his eyes never leaving Hermione. "She _must_ have used a charm… the nerve of her… ugh, do the guys actually _like_ that sort of look…" Fred felt a pang of anger rush through him as he heard the spiteful tones to their voices. _How could they think like that?_ He looked up and caught Hermione's eye as she descended the last stair, and winked. She blushed shyly and smiled back.

Hermione stood still for a moment at the bottom of the stairs and blushed as she saw the boys gaping at her and the girls' narrowed eyes. It was a couple of seconds before Ernie McMillan ran to take her arm, his face lit up in a smirk as he marched her away with him. She caught Fred's eye again and he gave her a thumbs up, making her grimace slightly. He grinned and she felt a faint flutter in her stomach as she gazed at him, losing herself in the blue ocean of his eyes. Then she shook her head slightly and realised that she had stopped and Ernie was tugging on her arm and looking at her in bewilderment. She apologised and went to stand beside him as the band, the Weird Sisters, struck up a song. He put his hand on her back and took her right hand and swayed them to the music as she sighed quietly and closed her eyes. He took this as a signal to draw her closer to him, pressing her to his chest. He had very little muscle unlike Fred, just thin and lean, his ribs jutting sharply out and she sighed again. They stayed like that for a minute, swaying to the song, Ernie still holding her tightly to him, forcing Hermione's head onto his shoulder. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine that it was Fred twirling her around the room, not Ernie, stumbling and stepping on her toes. _It's not as if he's ugly, _she thought to herself. Ernie was quite good-looking and already had quite a few younger admirers in the years below them. He had short brown hair, sticking up in odd places, a rather wonky nose and full lips, complimented by high cheekbones. She felt someone gazing at her and looked up from her place on Ernie's shoulder and saw Hannah Abbott staring rather enviously at her from behind the back of a tall blonde boy, whom she was dancing with. Ernie felt Hermione move and seemed to take this as a sign of affection and he bent down to kiss her forehead. Hermione frowned into his shoulder and was relieved when the song ended and he let her go. It was a rather fast one this time and she moved away from Ernie as he tried to grab her hands.

"I'm sorry Ernie, I feel a little faint under all these bright lights, and I think I might be developing a bit of a headache. Would you mind if I went and sat down for a little bit? I think it might make me feel a little better." Hermione closed her eyes and feigned sickness, putting a hand to her head.

He looked down at her in concern and quickly led her away from the dance floor, holding a chair out for her at a small table somewhat to the side. He helped her into the chair and kneeled down so that he was at her height. "Would you like me to get you some water to drink?" he asked, peering at her. She nodded weakly and pretended to smile. He stood up and gazed around trying to find a table with water. He spotted a table with refreshments and made his way towards it. Hermione watched as he conjured up a cup and poured some water into it. Trying to act inconspicuous, she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ernie, murmuring a spell under her breath. The cup of water jerked in his hands and covered him in water. She heard him cuss loudly and tried to wipe some of the water off his robes, knocking a jug of pumpkin juice over himself in his haste. He swore loudly and pulled out his wand, attempting to remove the sticky liquid from his clothes. Hermione murmured another spell and heard Ernie's frustrated voice as he found he could not eradicate the fluids. He gave her a desperate stare, juice dripping from the sleeves of his robes. She giggled slightly and waved him off, indicating him to go and change. He grimaced and ran off in the direction of the boys dormitories.

Hermione smirked, pleased with herself. She knew that Ernie would be a little while; she had placed an irremovable charm upon his robes that lasted for an hour or two.

Fred was watching her from his place with Angelina and chuckled to himself as he watched her smile. _Poor Ernie,_ he thought. Angelina looked at him and followed his gaze. Her smile turned to a frown and she scowled up at him. "Fred!" He jumped, startled and looked at her in confusion. "What is it?" She glared at him. "Could you please stop staring at Hermione for a little while and focus on dancing with me?" He looked shocked, stuttering something about not knowing what she was talking about. This just made her angrier and she glowered at him. "Don't lie to me, Fred Weasley! I know about your feelings for her! I just wonder why you asked _me_ instead of her?" Fred looked at her and grimaced. "I'm sorry Angelina, I really did want to come with you tonight."

Angelina sighed and looked him in the eye, raising an eyebrow. "Did you?"

"Yes, of course I did! I really like you!" He winced inwardly as he saw her smile faintly, slightly appeased. _Did he really?_

"Well then, now I can do this." And then, without warning, Angelina pressed her lips lightly to his. His widened and he saw her close her eyes and part her lips slightly. He groaned internally thinking to himself, _God, this is SO inconvenient!_

He felt Angelina stir slightly in his arms, and hurriedly responded to her kiss. He flicked his tongue against her lips and they parted, gaining him access to her centre. They explored each other's mouths for a minute before they drew apart. Angelina grinned up at him, her lipstick smudged slightly. He tried to smile half-heartedly back at her and pulled her to him, hiding her face in his chest so she wouldn't see his frown. He felt her sigh and lean into him and tried to imagine that it was a certain bushy haired beauty hugging him instead. He looked over Angelina's shoulder and saw Hermione staring at him from her place at the table, her cinnamon eyes wide and filled with, he realised in shock, _tears. _He watched her jump up from her chair, her tears spilling onto her cheeks and run from the room, her face buried in her hands. He wanted to call out to her, to run after her and draw her to him, and kiss her tears away. But all he could do was watch as the girl he had longed for, for so long, run away from him in tears, for a second time.

**A/N: **So there it is, I hope you all liked it! I worked for a while on this one, I'm sorry that there was so much fluff. But you have to have one really fluffy chapter don't you? Anyway, there you go, please, _please, __**please**_review & rate! Thank you, ;)

Alie


	6. Run Away Part II

**Disclaimer:** Must we go through this? For God's Sake, I don't own anything!

**A/N:** Hey everyone, thanks for reading. I got a slightly better response to the last chapter, so I decided to keep on writing. Here is Chapter 5 (Part II), I hope you all like it, please, please don't forget to r & r!

CHAPTER FIVE (PART II)

Hermione ran out into the courtyard past the Great Hall. Floating orbs filled with swirling colours, floated in the air and a giant Christmas tree had been set up to her right, lit with sparkling lights and golden balls. She collapsed onto a bench surrounded by a hedge covered with white flowers and buried her face in her hands. Her tears streaked her face with dirty marks as her eyeliner ran and her hands shook as she curled into a ball, letting her misery out. Her sobs echoed throughout the garden and her shoulders shook with the force of her pain, and she closed her eyes, willing the ache in her heart to go away. Fred's face swam up before her and she broke down, weeping even harder than before, watching in her mind as he drew Angelina to him and pressed his lips against hers. She sat there for a while, waiting for her tears to slow, her throat throbbing painfully as she swallowed. After a little bit, she conjured up her compact and inspected the damage she had inflicted. Her eyeliner had run a bit, but she wiped the dirty lines off and reapplied some lipstick. But there was, unfortunately, nothing she could do about her swollen and red-rimmed eyes, puffy from all her crying.

_Your fingertips across my skin  
The palm trees swaying in the wind  
Images_

Fred watched Hermione disappear with a strong ache in his heart. Desperate to comfort her, he led Angelina to the table where Hermione had sat just previously. Angelina, who had not witnessed Hermione's flight, sat down and smiled up at Fred.

"Angie, could you stay here for just a little while I go and do something? It's really important," he asked, silently pleading her with his eyes to believe her."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded. He smiled and bent down to kiss her cheek, surprised when she turned her cheek away to replace it with her mouth. He withdrew from her grasp after a little while and grinned back at her as he walked away. But when he rounded the corner, his mouth turned down in a tight frown and he strode quickly out the double doors. He reached an intersection between the door leading out of the castle and into a small courtyard and a corridor leading towards the dungeons. He didn't think Hermione would have gone down to the dungeons; she hated it down there. He remembered her telling him what she thought about them one day:

"Ugh, I _hate _it down there, it's all slimy and disgusting and…" she trailed off.

"And?" he gently prompted her.

"And _he's_ there!"

"Who?"

"_Snape_…" There was no mistaking the contempt in her voice.

Fred grinned at the memory and then focused on his present task. No, Hermione definitely would _not_ go down to the dungeons. So he turned in the direction of the courtyard, and strode purposefully down the hall.

_You sang me Spanish lullabies  
The sweetest sadness in your eyes  
Clever trick_

Hermione heard footsteps behind her and she looked up from her position on the bench to find Fred coming around the bend. His eyes widened as he took in her appearance and he went to sit beside her. She looked away from him, hoping not to draw attention to the state of her eyes.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" her voice trembled slightly.

"Why did you just storm out of the hall like that, crying?" his voice broke on the last word.

"Why do you care?" she asked, rounding on him, her eyes full and glassy. "Anyway, shouldn't you be back with _Angelina_?" she spat.

"Whoa!" he said, taken aback. "Look, I just wanted to see if you were okay…" he trailed off uncertainly.

"Well, then, I'm fine!" she said. "You don't need to worry about me." Tears welled up in her eyes once more as she replayed Fred and Angelina's kiss in her mind.

_I never want to see you unhappy  
I thought you'd want the same for me_

"Hermione…" he breathed seeing her tears spill over and he leaned over, putting his arm around her, and pulling her close. She breathed in his smell, burying her face in his chest, letting him rub soothing circles into her back. Her tears soaked his robes and she felt his hand on her hair, patting it softly. For a while they just sat there with Fred comforting her and Hermione, warm and safe in his embrace, her arms around his waist, sobbing quietly into his shoulder. Finally, they drew apart; Fred cradling her face in his hands, gazing into her tear filled eyes. Hermione's breath caught in her throat, her eyes searching his eyes for any signs of the joker she knew so well. But all she saw was the strange emotion that had filled his eyes that first night in the common room.

As he gazed down at Hermione, Fred felt a sudden surge of anger at himself. How could he have let himself hurt her like this? He stroked her jaw with his thumb, watching to see her reaction. His heart leapt into the air as she gave him a watery smile, moving closer to him.

She had waited for this moment for so long, had been yearning to feel him touch her like this, to feel his hands on her face and his lips on her mouth. She imagined that they would feel so soft and gentle in comparison with his rough thumb now caressing her jaw line. Fred lifted her chin up so that she was looking him in the face and whispered, "You're beautiful, I hope you know that. And I don't know how Ron could have let you go…"

_Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?_

Hermione sighed, closing her eyes while drifting ever closer to Fred. This was the moment she had been waiting for, ever since that night in the common room when he had kissed her hand. Their noses touched, rubbing together ever so slightly and she could feel his breath on her cheek.

Fred could feel it drawing closer, the moment he longed for, so much that he could almost taste the anticipation in the air. As their noses touched, Fred put his hand in Hermione's hair, the other cradling the nape of her neck. He leaned down, not wanting to wait any longer for…

_So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
I should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do_

"Fred!? Hermione!?"

The two jumped apart, their faces bright red. Harry Potter stood before them, his eyes wide at the sight of them, so closely intertwined.

"Oh, god, sorry!" he stuttered. "I didn't know I was interrupting something, it's just… Angelina's, uh, looking for you, Fred. Yes, so, well, I'll leave you guys to it then, shall I?" With that, Harry walked, well, more like _ran_ away from them, back towards the Great Hall and most probably, Ginny.

Fred and Hermione looked at each other, Fred's arms still around Hermione and both of their faces still extremely red. Hermione gazed up into his blue eyes and sighed. _They couldn't work out, _she thought, _he's got Angelina and I have…_she stopped and put her hand on Fred's chest, her eyes welling with tears again. "I should go…" she said, starting to get up.

_We walked along a crowded street  
You took my hand and danced with me  
Images_

_No! _Fred thought, _I'm not going to let you go, Hermione. Not now, not again. _He grabbed her hand as she stood up and pulled her to him. He stared into her eyes, willing her to see sense, to see that he loved her. He leaned in and she closed her eyes, her mouth turning up slightly at the corners…

_And when you left you kissed my lips  
You told me you'd never ever forget these images, no_

"Fred!"

Yet again they were interrupted and they leapt apart, looking around for the source of noise.

"Fred? Fred?"

"Angelina…" Fred breathed, looking crestfallen. He looked back down at Hermione, trying to gauge her reaction, holding her tight to him.

_I never want to see you unhappy  
I thought you'd want the same for me_

"I should go," she whispered, "Go to Angelina. She's looking for you…" Hermione extracted herself from Fred's embrace and walked away.

"Hermione!" he called out to her, watching her go, yet again. Pain filled his eyes and his chest ached, now cold without the warmth of her body pressed against his.

_Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?_

Hearing his voice, Hermione broke into a run, tears flowing freely from her eyes, her dress flying out behind her, her shoes slipping as fled. She had no idea where she was going, just letting her feet guide her. Then, with a _bang_, she hit something hard and solid, knocking her backwards and everything went black…

_So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
I should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do_

**A/N:** Hey guys, there you go, the fifth chapter, part II. The song I used was called _Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy_. I think it fits their relationship really well, so if you have time, go and check it out. Anyway, I hope you all liked it, tell me if you think I should change anything. Please don't forget to r & r. Also, a great big thank you to **Rob-girl**, you're the best. ; )

Alie


	7. Oh No

**Disclaimer:** You _are_ insistent aren't you?

**A/N:** Hey everyone, I'm _so_ sorry for getting this out so late and thank you SOOO much for reviewing. It was great! So, this is Chapter Six, I hope you like it. This one is like; a sort of segway into Chapter's Seven and Eight. So, I'm sorry it's so short, I don't know how long, Chapter Seven will be, but I will try to make it a decent length. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and REVIEW!

(Also, a great big, special thank you to: - boopotter – fatyellowrat – Rob-girl - J – for reviewing. You guys are great)

CHAPTER SIX

"Hermione? 'Mione? Hermione, wake up!"

Hermione's eyes flickered open, her lashes brushing her cheeks. She was encircled with something warm and strong. _Fred?_ She thought, her mouth lifting into a smile. The shape in front of her came into focus and she found herself looking up into the face of a shockingly red-haired male. But not the one she wanted.

"Ron?" she said, struggling to sit up. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, sitting back down as her head throbbed in pain. Ron grimaced and grabbed her hand. He settled her back down on his lap so that she was comfortable before talking.

"Yes, that would hurt, I presume. You banged your head quite hard. I found you lying underneath a tree as I went for a walk in the gardens. You were out for about twenty minutes or so, and you also have a rather nasty gash on your head. I didn't think moving you would be such a good idea, I thought it made have made your condition worse."

Hermione smiled. Ron was obviously making a genuine effort to look after her, it was touching. After all, he was her best friend. She moved again and finally managed to stand up, if swaying slightly, holding onto Ron's arm tightly.

"Well Ron," she said, "thank you for looking after me. I should probably be getting back to the dance now, Ernie is probably looking for me, so I guess I'll, uh, see you later!" she smiled and started to turn.

"No!" Ron made a face and said in a softer tone, "Ernie isn't there, he ran out of the hall a while ago. Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong? You ran out of the hall crying, if that bastard did anything to you, I'll knock his face in!"

Hermione forced a smile; after all, Ron was only trying to help. "There's nothing wrong with me, I mean, I was just a little upset that's all. It was nothing, a little misunderstanding. Really."

Ron's face darkened in a scowl. "So it was Ernie! Ugh, I _knew_ he was a jerk! He's no good for you Hermione! I can think of heaps of people you'd be better off with like…" he stopped looking sheepish.

Hermione's eyes blazed up and her hands balled into fists. How dare he tell her whom she should see! It wasn't any of his business anyway! "Ugh, who _do_ you think I should go out with then, huh?" Her mouth was set in a straight line and her voice was cold.

Ron wilted under her gaze, even though he towered above her. "Me…" he whispered, before walking closer to her. Hermione backed away, her eyes wide. _No, no, NO, this could NOT be happening to her! She and Fred were getting closer everyday! She didn't need Ron to go and stuff everything up! _He put a hand on her cheek, leaning down. _NO, NO, __**NO!**_ She screamed in her head, as his face drew closer and closer, his eyes closed. As she saw his lips pucker, Hermione drew back, trying to get further away from him. Ron's hand slipped around to the back of her head, gripping her hair and pulling her to him. Just as his lips were about to touch hers… _SMACK!_

"Argh!" Ron fell back, his hand on his cheek, which was turning a dark crimson.

"Ron!" Hermione cried, her eyes filling with tears, staring at him with horror-stricken eyes. "How could you? I said I was fine! I… I don't feel the same way as you do! Please… just…" her voice broke now, tears flowing down her cheeks once more. "Just leave me alone!" with that she turned tail, and ran back through the castle doors, leaving Ron staring after her, his expression shocked, mingled with surprise, his right hand still rubbing his cheek.

Hermione ran through the crowd in the Great Hall, her head bent, one hand holding her gown's skirt up. "Hermione?" she heard several cries from her friends, such as Ginny and Lavender, but she kept running until she reached the foot of the stairs leading to her dormitory. She paused to catch her breath, her chest heaving, before dashing up them, her hair flying out behind her. She reached her bed and she fell onto it, sobbing, her shoulders shaking from the force of her sobs. She raised her head slightly to look into the mirror to the side of her bed. Her breath caught as she saw the bright red gash that ran across her forehead, dried blood still evident. _Ugh, and Ron couldn't have even __**tried**__ to clean that up?_ She thought. The thought of his name started up the waterworks again. _How could he have done this to her? After all this time? Why couldn't he have just left her well alone and just settled on being her friend? And now of course, things were going to be really weird between them and Harry would most definitely take his best friend's side._ Hermione sighed, finally having no more tears left in her._ He always did, leaving Hermione alone, with no one else except Lavender and Parvati and Ginny, though the latter was still a couple of years younger than her. She found that she was alone a lot. But then Fred came along, saving her from the dark hole that she had been trapped in. He had pulled her out and shown her the daylight and the sun. Her time was now, not only restricted her studies and homework! He had helped her become free, spontaneous, and even fun! But just as things were getting better, they got worse. Thanks Ron… _

Hermione sighed once more and heaved herself off her bed, pointing her wand at her forehead and mumbling a spell. Almost instantly, the gash disappeared, leaving only a pink line. She slipped out of her dress and pulled on some silk pyjamas, made of a tank top and loose, silk, drawstring pants. She jumped back onto her bed and climbed under the covers, grabbing a book from the table beside her bed. For a quarter of an hour, she tried to lose herself in _Hogwarts: A History_, unsuccessfully. She slammed the book shut and dropped it back onto the table, hugging her pillow to her. She flicked the light off and closed her eyes, going over the night in her head. She saw Ernie walking towards her, then covered in water, Fred grinning, leaning down to kiss her, Harry looking astonished, then finally Ron's hurt face as she rushed away from him. _What an eventful night,_ she thought, before dropping off to sleep, finally exhausting the last of her energy.

**A/N:** There you go, I know it's not much and there isn't any Fred-Hermione interaction, but I promise you, the next chapter will be better. I think I might even be able to get it up tonight, if people review enough. Who knows? Hint, hint Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and please review! ;)


	8. Here We Go Again

Disclaimer: You know the drill

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.

**A/N:** Hey everyone, it's me, _again._ Ha, ha, I just _had_ to update again tonight. I was on a roll, so I posted this as well. I hope you like it! It's quite a lot longer than the last one, so hopefully this will make it up to me. Also, I'm thinking of making a One-Shot Fred/Hermione. Please check it out! ;)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Hermione walked down to breakfast the next day, her hair in two loose plaits, her face drawn. As she walked up to the Gryffindor table, Ron stood up and brushed past her, his face beet red, the tips of his ears flaming. Hermione sighed and went to sit beside Harry, who looked up at her questioningly, passing her a plate. "Thanks," she mumbled, grabbing a piece of toast and buttering it, before looking up again. "So…" said Harry, "are you going to tell me what's up?" She opened her mouth, her face full of indignation before Harry interrupted, saying, "Don't try and deny it Hermione! It's kind of obvious. Now, fess up."

He watched as his best friend's face crumpled into a mask of pain, her eyes welling with the now seemingly, ever-present tears. "He… last night… he…c-c-confessed," she managed to sob out, before flinging her head down onto her arms, upon the table. Harry reached over and hugged Hermione, pulling her to his side, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, wetting his robes with her tears. "What did he, uh, confess, 'Mione?" he asked, looking down at her. She looked up at him, feeling his gaze and smiled weakly. "Do you want all the gruesome details?" she asked, laughing slightly. "Sure," he said, grinning. "I'm here for you, you know that right?" he asked, his brow furrowing as he tried to think of what Ron may have 'confessed'. She nodded and hugged him once more. "Thanks, Harry," she whispered into his shoulder, before relaying last night's events to him. Both of them had their backs to the doors leading out of the hall, and didn't see a certain, tall and gangly, redhead, disappear behind them. Fred walked away, his face masked with a look of pain and jealousy. He walked, heavily, back up to his dormitory and proceeded to collect the books that he needed for the next day and sat on his bed, putting his face in his hands. _What have I done?_ He thought to himself. He hated seeing Hermione hurting so badly, but the fact that she had gone to Harry and not him, hurt him deeply. It was his entire fault really, if he had just told Hermione about how he felt straight away, maybe he would be the one holding her close, not Harry and she wouldn't be crying. He sat there, contemplating that for a while, before hearing noises in the corridor and got up, grabbing his books and stuffing them in his bag, before swinging out the door, replacing his grimace of pain with a mischievous grin, as always. He couldn't let anyone know how he was really hurting.

Hermione couldn't concentrate that day. He thoughts kept roaming back to Fred, while Harry sat next to her, loyally. He had grown all protective and sat with her at lunch and dinner, taking her side for once, instead of Ron's. "He was bang out of order, 'Mione," he had exclaimed to her during breakfast, after she had told him what Ron had done. "You were too right to push him away like that! Do you want me to talk to him?" At this she had shaken her head vigorously, she didn't need to bust of their friendship anymore.

At dinner, Hermione kept her head down as Fred past her, accompanied by Lee Jordan, and they were laughing raucously about something, Fred's head thrown back, his hair glimmering in the light, his eyes alight. He glanced down at her and their eyes met, both of them still as they memorized each other's faces once more. He grinned slightly, making Hermione blush, before she broke their gaze, returning to her book. Harry had watched this silent interaction with a look of amusement on his face. He remembered them the night before, Fred holding Hermione, her sobbing into his chest. He saw Fred looking tenderly down at her, one hand holding her face while the other caressing her hair. Harry remembered as Hermione had looked up at him, her face filled with joy as Fred held her in his arms. Harry grinned and looked sideways at Hermione, watching as she concentrated on her book very hard, well aware of his gaze. "So, Fred, huh?" he asked, testing his courage. She whipped around to stare at him, her eyes wide and surprised. "What do you mean?" she asked, obviously in denial. He smirked and said, "Well, it could have been worse. Sorry I interrupted you two last night!" She gaped at him, before her eyes narrowed and she hissed at him, "Don't you _dare_ mention _anything_ to _anyone_!" Her cheeks were flushed slightly and she slammed her book shut. "And so what if I do like him?" she asked. "Nothing's wrong, it's just, maybe you should make sure Ron knows that you're off the market." He laughed, his black hair shaking around his face, his bottle-green eyes filled with glee. "But it's okay, you're secret's safe with me!" he whispered, before getting up and making his way out of the hall, leaving Hermione fuming in silent rage.

"Hermione?" she heard a voice ask and her heart flipped as she turned around.

There was Fred Weasley, his eyes cautious as he walked and sat next to her. "How are you?" he asked softly. She gazed at him, her brown eyes, sparkling. "I'm fine," she whispered back, "has your dear brother cared to say anything to you lately?" she asked, biting her lip, doubtfully. "Hermione!" he exclaimed, "Why on earth, would my brother talk to _me_? And also, which one?" he grinned, trying to lift the mood a bit. "Probably not Perce, he's a bit of bore, Bill or Charlie perhaps? No they're off in Romania and such and George… well, we won't go there shall we?" Hermione laughed, remembering why she liked being with Fred so much, he could really make her smile. "It's Ron," she sighed, her face falling. Then she told Fred of the nights events, making him exclaim in shock. "Ugh, really? My _brother_? Ron? You poor thing, the very pinnacle of ickle Ronniekins affections!" She grimaced, swatting his arm. "This is not a laughing matter, he was really serious last night! And from the looks of it, I don't think he is going to forgive me very soon." She glanced over at the end of the table, where Ron sat talking with Lavender Brown and Parvati. "I think he's fine for now," Fred remarked, grinning. Then he grabbed her hand, startling her. "Come with me!" he said and pulled her away from the table and out through the Great Hall's doors. They walked for a little way, Fred never letting go of her hand, before he pulled her into a little alcove off a corridor on the third floor. It was very cramped and there was little space, Hermione had to shuffle a bit to fit in with Fred's gangly body and he had to stoop to look at her. She looked up at him her eyebrows raised as if to say, "What the _hell_ are we doing in here?"

He grinned at her scooted ever closer to her, if that was possible, pushing her up against his chest as he bent down to her eye-level. "Finally, I have you alone! I thought this would never happen," he said, putting one hand on the side of her face. He searched her eyes for a moment, before leaning towards her, their noses almost touching, his breath fanning her cheeks. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned up, her mouth parted slightly, before… _CRASH!_

The two broke apart instantly, before jumping out of the alcove and looking about for the source of the noise. On the ground lay an ancient blue and white vase, smashed into tiny pieces on the floor. _Crap_, thought Fred, _this doesn't look good_. And he was right, for seconds later, Peeves, the poltergeist came whizzing round the corner, his arms flailing and screaming, "Smash, crash, here and there, there are pieces everywhere! WHEEE!" Then he stopped at the sight of the two standing beneath him, their eyes wide. "Oh, look what you've done, now!" he exclaimed before screaming, "STUDENTS! STUDENTS! CAUSING MAYHEM AND TROUBLE!"

"Peeves!" Hermione hissed, before clutching Fred's arm as she spotted Mrs Norris coming the corridor. "Fred, it's Filch's cat!"

Fred chuckled and grabbed her hand, "C'mon, lets go back to the hall, they won't find us there." And with that, the pair raced off, with Peeves screeching along behind them, yelling abuse at their backs. They streaked through the corridors and dashed down the stairs before they reached the hall, to the familiar sounds of clattering knives and forks and talking. They looked at each other for a moment, before collapsing with laughter, tears rolling down their faces, holding each other upright, Hermione clutching Fred's arm, holding him to her. They sat down on the floor and giggled, helplessly, watching people walk past them with scared expressions on their faces. This only made them laugh harder and it wasn't until Angelina Johnson, rounded the bend, that they were quiet.

"Fred?" Angelina asked in surprise, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the two holding each other on the floor. "What are you doing here with _her_?" she asked, putting emphasis on the last word. Fred looked wildly at Hermione for a second, before getting to his feet and brushing himself down, Hermione following suit. "We, uh, weren't doing anything, Angelina!" Hermione said, gazing at the older girl, blushing furiously. "I, er, better go," she said hurriedly, before scurrying off in the opposite direction, the sound of Angelina accusing Fred angrily, ringing in her ears.

**A/N: **Hi again, I hope you liked this one. Chapter Eight is coming soon, I assure you, I've almost finished writing it in fact. So tell me if you like it, REVIEW! (The more reviews I get, the quicker I shall update!) ;)

Alie


	9. Happy Ending

**A/N:** Hey everyone, I know, I know! I am a terrible person and will go to hell when I die! But, I have _finally_ uploaded the last chapter of Complicated. I have probably lost a number of readers, due to the lack of updates, but I really hope you can forgive me. I have been so busy lately, I just found out that my grandmother has cancer, it has been really hard on all of us. So, I hope this lives up to your expectations! I haven't writtine in a while, so it may be a little OOC. Enjoy, :)

CHAPTER EIGHT

Hermione sat bolt upright in bed as she scrambled around on her bedside table, finally finding her alarm clock and shoving it under her pillow, punching the snooze button. She groaned, _it was only four o'clock!_ She grabbed the covers and pulled the covers over her head, closing her eyes and sinking back into her soft pillow. She lay there for a couple of minutes, her eyes closed and her mind at peace. She snuggled down into the many layers of her bed, almost asleep, before Fred's face burst through the tranquil peace of her mind. She shot back up, her eyes wild, her chest heaving, face flushed. She groaned and threw her covers off and stood up, stretching in the process. _She would never get any sleep like this. _

Walking over to her trunk, Hermione pulled out a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Grabbing her black converse, she pulled on her blue sweater over her shirt, wrapping a pale blue scarf around her neck. Walking over to her mirror, that was placed above her bed, she started brushing her hair, mumbling angrily to herself, when her hair refused to co-operate, sticking up in odd places and as curly as ever. Yanking her brush through her hair, she pulled it up into a messy bun, a few stray strands floating around her face, a strand curling at the nape of her neck.

Sighing, Hermione got up and walked to the door, taking one final glance around the room, making sure no-one saw her quick escape. Satisfied that all was well, she slipped out of the room, tiptoeing down the hallway and making a run for the stairs. Dashing down them, Hermione stopped short of the castle's doors, glancing about, checking for people. When she saw no-one, she proceeded to rush out the doors; her feet jumping the last step and onto soft, slightly damp grass. It was still rather dark outside, for the sun hadn't risen yet and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, relieved to finally get some time alone. She made a beeline for a patch of soft looking grass that lay next to the lake, a huge tree hanging out of the shore.

Sitting down, Hermione watched soft ripples rise and disappear in the water, small waves lapping softly at the bank, making a gentle splashing sound. She rested her head against the tree, brining her knees up to her chest, closing her eyes. Breathing deeply, she went over the past week or so, her thoughts whirling through her head, moments flashing past her mind's eye. Fred face bubbled to the surface, making her gasp, her head whipping up and smacking into the tree trunk behind her.

"Shit!" she mumbled, her face growing red with embarrassment, even though no-one was around to see. Resting her head, back onto her knees, she banged her forehead on them over and over again. She needed to get over this silly attraction of hers; there was no way that he could feel the same. Hogwarts bookworm and the prankster? It just wasn't meant to be. As this harsh thought flew into her head, tears rose to her eyes. She wiped them away crossly, shocked at herself for reacting so, it wasn't like she loved him or anything. It was just a simple crush that was all, a simple crush. Accepting her fate, she leaned back again, her back pressing up against the trunk of the tree, wide and comforting in her pain.

"Hermione?" There was a cracking sound and a hand came to rest on her shoulder, making her gasp aloud. She turned her face, to find Fred's only inches away.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," he said, grimacing. Pulling his hand away from her shoulder, she shivered as the cool air came into contact with her skin once more.

"No, no, it's quite alright Fred, don't worry about it," she said, smiling at him. Why, oh _why_ did he have to look so cute, especially _now_? What about her resolve of not liking him anymore that she had made just moments ago?

"I just saw you sitting down here and I thought I would come a join you. I mean, I've never had any company before."

She looked up at him in confusion. "Do you come down here often?" Hermione asked, pulling a few strands of hair away from her face and tucking them behind her ears.

"Yeah, I do, to clear my head, you know? So much going on, nowadays," he replied, grinning as the hair she had just tucked away flew back across her face.

Leaning over, he gently tucked the lock of hair back, making Hermione shudder at his touch. She looked into his eyes, losing herself within them, watching as he leaned forward, till they were only inches apart.

"Fred..." It was the whisper of his name, which made him draw away, disappointment welling up inside him. She was going to say no, that this would never work out, that she didn't like him in that way. Biting his lip, he cast his eyes downward, ready for the emotional blow.

"Fred, look, we can't, we can't-" she broke off as Fred grabbed her face in his hands, a mixed expression upon his face.

"Yes, we can," he whispered his eyes filled with a kind of fiery desire that she had never seen, before pulling her to him and pressing his lips firmly against hers, holding her to him. Hermione sank into him, her resolve melting away as Fred held her in his arms, feeling his muscles flex beneath her. She smiled as his tongue pressed against her mouth and she opened it, letting him inside. He pulled her onto his lap, his arms wrapped around her tight, as she draped her arms around his neck, winding her fingers into his shoulder-length red hair. He pressed himself closer to her, feeling a hand, make its way to his chest, exploring the expanse of skin, hardened by years of hard quidditch playing. He moved a calloused hand to the side of her face, stroking her cheekbones, memorising her face with his hands.

Finally they pulled as the kiss ended, never looking away from each other's eyes. Fred pulled Hermione to his side, cradling her against his chest.

"I broke up with Angelina last night," he said, leaning down to kiss her hair. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Really?" she asked, reaching up to cup his face in her hand. "You did that... for me?" She smiled, gazing into his face, happiness overwhelming her.

Turning to face her, Fred bent down so that he was at her eye level.

"Hermione, of course I did. Angelina was never right for me. It was you Hermione, all along, it was you." He gazed at her, half pleading with her to see the desire building up inside him.

"All this time, for years, I always thought you were just hanging around me to annoy me, or just because I was Ron's best friend. I never thought..." She trailed off, her eyes growing slightly watery as she thought of all the times that Fred had just brushed her off, without so much as saying hello.

"Hermione," he said, watching tears form in her eyes and put a finger under her chin, tilting it up, so she was looking at him.

"Hermione," he said again, gazing into her eyes. He broke off for a second, looking down, unsure. Should he? Maybe it was too soon; maybe she wouldn't take him seriously. That would be right; he confessed his feelings to her, only to have her laugh at him. Shaking his head, he turned back to Hermione's expectant face, feeling slightly nervous.

"Hermione," he said once more, in a voice stronger than he felt, "You were the one that I wanted to go the ball with. It killed me to see that idiot, Ernie, take you in his arms. I had to stop myself from going over to you; it would have been stupid then. And when my _stupid_ brother, hurt you so much, I realised that it was always you and would only ever be you. You are the one for me Hermione, no matter how stupid it may seem. I know, it seems ridiculous right? The prankster and the bookworm!" he said, grinning as he touched the tip of her nose with a finger. "Never!" he said in an uncanny impersonation of Professor McGonagall, making her giggle.

After smiling along with her, Fred became serious once more. "Hermione, I... I love you," he said, trailing off, afraid to look at her. It was too soon, he knew, he had scared her off. He shouldn't have said it!

Fred looked up and to his surprise he found Hermione still sitting in front of him, her mouth open, staring at him. Grimacing, he looked away, cursing himself inwardly for being so stupid. Then he felt a small, soft hand against the side of his face and found Hermione gazing at him, her mouth turned up into what might have been, just maybe, a smile. Then, without warning, she launched herself at him, her tongue battling against his in a fierce kiss. He fell back, as she wrapped her arms around him, so there was no friction between them, no space. He grinned, elated as he felt Hermione in his arms, true and real, _finally._

* * *

Hermione and Fred entered the Great Hall just as breakfast was starting, holding hands, sneaking small glances at each other and grinning every couple of seconds. Soon enough, Ginny and Harry came to join them, pulling a protesting Ron with them, Seamus, George and Lee Jordan bringing up the rear. As George and Lee saw Fred and Hermione sitting together, they grinned and hi-fived each other. They alone, apart from Harry, knew about Fred's secret attraction to the bushy-haired beauty.

"So," Ginny said, noticing how close Fred and Hermione were sitting next to each other. "Did everyone have a good sleep?" she asked, winking at Hermione, who was now resting slightly against Fred's shoulder, her eyes half closed.

Poking Harry in the ribs, Ginny gestured over at Fred and Hermione. Harry looked at her, beaming as he watched the two together. "I have a feeling that Ron's not too happy about this," he whispered to Ginny, who made a face in return. "Who cares about that git, he seems fine with Lavender," she giggled, staring at Ron who was making an obvious attempt to flirt with Lavender Brown. "It's disgusting!" Ginny exclaimed, watching as Ron draped a hand onto Lavender's arm. "I know," Harry said, secretly winking at Ron, who returned it. Last night, Harry had made Ron promise that he would apologize to Hermione, and also managing to convince him that Lavender may be interested in him. Ginny looked over at Harry, asking, "You wouldn't have anything to do with it, would you now?" He just looked at her innocently before saying, "Whatever do you mean, Ginny?" and tucking into his eggs, making her laugh.

"Hermione?" Fred whispered, looking down at the girl seated next to him. She looked up at him, her mouth curling into a smile. "Come with me!"

* * *

Fred and Hermione walked along the hall, watching Nearly Headless Nick, whoosh past them and through the wall opposite them. They walked in silence, content to be together, holding hands. After a little while the bell rang, alerting students to get ready for class. Soon after, Fred stopped, pulling Hermione with him, behind a suit of armour, underneath the picture of a knight fighting a group of goblins.

"Hermione, what made you like me?" he asked, uncertainty in his voice, his eyes fixed upon hers. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked, grinning at him. "Who could not help but fall in love with such a devilishly handsome guy, like you?" she inquired, tapping the tip of his nose, like he had done only a while ago. Fred smiled, draping an arm around her shoulder, and in a hilariously good imitation of Ron, said, "Oh Lavender, want to come and watch me practise quidditch later?" Hermione doubled over in fits of laughter, slapping Fred on the arm, managing to gasp out, "Don't be mean. He just isn't as good at talking to girls as you are!" Fred groaned, but pulled her to him, walking out from behind the suit of armour, just in time to get in front of the horde of students making their way out of the Great Hall. As they looked behind themselves and saw a tide of students rushing towards them, Fred kissed Hermione on the top of her head, and grabbed her hand once more. "I love you," he whispered, as they walked off to class.

**A/N:** So that's it guys! I hope you liked it! Please R&R! I'm thinking of doing a sequeal, so email me or review or tell me somehow if you want me to! Alie, ;)


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